Frenetic ramblings from the start of the "War on Terror" logging my attempts to film outside Finsbury park mosque over 3 years and sitting through all the subsequent court cases. These days I write about whatever and generally stay out of trouble. Do visit Youtube.com/malungtvnews

September 16, 2006

SHAITAN

OK. Just met Hajj again in the cafe.

"Do I know these guys?" I asked.

"All of them."

"All of them?"

"All. Jamaican brothers."

"And you think they are innocent?"

"Yes. They train together, but what is training? If I was young I would be training now. People are being set against one another, we haven't seen anything yet. We have to be able to defend our families. They've taken his roof apart, his brothers roof. Nothing, and this school, they don't even lock the doors. You can wake up in the night and walk anywhere... "

"But the Police have been following them... Nine months.. They have someone on the inside? Can you think who?"

I spoke about the TV people advising me to follow the story as much as possible whilst there is a news blackout during the trial.

"Look, as long as people don't want to drop themselves in it, make it known I am willing to film Hajj. If they want to drop themselves in it, tell them to call Dan Rivers. If they want someone to fairly represent them tell them I am up for it."

"It won't make any diference. They will do what they like and say what they like..."

"But the people I spoke to at Channel 4 were interested. They spoke of a situation in Canada where someone was payed a quater of a million to say that some group said they wanted to kill the Prime minister..."

Hajj still wasn't convinced and was talking about "they"

"But what about us? We can do something. Its not all inevitable." I suggested a link up between ourselves and Sparkle and co online. An ongoing discussion which was available to whoever wanted to take part.

"But I can't write, talking is fine..."

"So I can write, or record you...Maybe we can change things. Maybe people would take an interest themselves, regardless of media..."

I also mentioned the media interest in the jihadi rap scene. Hajj told me that he would be making a tour of the mosques during ramadam and would make inquiries.

I tried to inquire further about Abu Abdullahs "reversion" to Islam but Hajj was reluctant to say anything.

"Look. There is a story on the internet which says Abdullah converted because his father offered to cancel a debt if he would live a more Islamic life..."

"Rubbish. I talked to him. It took not even one week. He left his street life completely and followed Islam. One week."

One of Hajj's friends inquired of Hajj as to my religion.

"Shaitan." Hajj answered.

They all looked at me a bit more warily. I just laughed. As we conversed one of them prepared a dinner of haloumi cheese, egg, bread and salad.